A Work Ethic Honed in Two Sports at Syracuse

By PETE THAMEL

Published: January 11, 2004

From his Campbell's Chunky soup commercials to his four Pro Bowl selections, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb has emerged as one of the N.F.L.'s most recognized stars. Few fans, though, remember his days as a basketball player.

McNabb not only played on the 1995-96 Syracuse team that reached the national championship game, but he also rescued the Orangemen in a game against Georgetown the next season. ''He looked like the short, fat kid out there,'' said Kevin Rogers, a former Syracuse assistant football coach who is now with Virginia Tech.

Even though McNabb may not have looked the part of a basketball player, his practice habits, work ethic and effusive personality offered hints of future success.

''He's a great teammate,'' Syracuse's basketball coach, Jim Boeheim, said. ''He played hard in practice and pushed guys. He fit in right away, led the team in cheers on the bench. He was a tremendous teammate.''

That became evident during the 1995-96 season, when Syracuse made an improbable run to the national title game, only to lose to Kentucky. During the tournament, McNabb and the other reserves developed a routine of crossing their legs after every made free throw. By then, McNabb had established himself as one of the top young quarterbacks in college football, so the bench shenanigans got him plenty of camera time.

What was never seen, though, was his intensity during practice. His strength allowed him to challenge his teammates and prevented them from loafing.

''Some days, he got the best of us,'' said John Wallace, the star of that Syracuse team, who is now with the Miami Heat. ''He was real athletic and went at us real hard. Before he matured and put on all that weight for the football body he needed, his vertical was 40-something.''

''He came in and killed us,'' said Esherick, who was an assistant to John Thompson at the time. ''He was very athletic and very strong.''

After averaging 2.3 points and 1.1 rebounds, McNabb stopped playing basketball after his sophomore year to focus on football. He went on to lead Syracuse to the Big East title in his junior and senior seasons.

Rogers said McNabb might not have ended up as a football player at Syracuse if not for basketball; Syracuse's strong basketball program played a big part in his recruitment.

''It was a round peg that fit in a round hole,'' Rogers said, ''and look who we ended up with.''

Photo: Donovan McNabb went to the basketball national title game as a reserve. (Photo by Associated Press)